The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for storage of device performance data and repair systems. In an exemplary embodiment, a data recorder includes a memory device connected to at least one device for storing performance data obtained from the device wherein the memory device is accessible after failure of the device. In an additional embodiment of the present invention, a system and method for optimizing device performance includes determining an operating system type, saving the operating system type in a data recorder and loading a firmware module based on the saved type. In a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a system and method for preventing loss of device performance data includes obtaining performance data from a device and storing the performance data on a data recorder wherein the data recorder is accessible after failure of the device. It may be desirable to store performance data to the data recorder so as not to affect the operation of the device. In yet another exemplary embodiment, a system and method for restoring a corrupted data structure with device self stored repair tools includes determining whether a data structure of an operating system is corrupted and restoring the data structure from data recorder data if the data structure is corrupted.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A data recorder configured as part of an information handling system, the data recorder comprising: a memory device connected to at least one device of said information handling system for storing performance data obtained from the device; wherein the memory device is accessible after failure of the device; and wherein the memory device stores utilities for initiating diagnostic programs to control restoration of an operating system.
2. The data recorder as described in claim 1 , wherein the memory device is disposed proximally to at least one of the device and the information handling system.
3. The data recorder as described in claim 1 , wherein the memory device comprises a solid state memory device.
4. The data recorder as described in claim 3 , wherein the memory device comprises at least one of electrically erasable read-only memory (EPROM), flash ram, programmable read-only memory (PROM), digital signal processor (DSP) with memory and erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM).
5. The data recorder as described in claim 1 , wherein the performance data includes at least one of error codes, diagnostic data, data structures, and device specific information.
6. The data recorder as described in claim 1 , wherein the memory device is updated periodically by the device.
7. The data recorder as described in claim 6 , wherein the memory device is updated by the device without affecting throughput and operation of the device.
8. The data recorder as described in claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic programs include at least one of a backup and restoration program.
9. The data recorder as described in claim 1 , wherein the utilities control replacement of the operating system from copies of the original data structures stored elsewhere on the system.
10. The data recorder as described in claim 1 , wherein the information handling system comprises a display monitor configured to visually display results of said information handling system in a user-readable format.
11. The data recorder as described in claim 10 , wherein the information handling system comprises a keyboard configured to receive instructions for said information handling system typed by a user.
12. The data recorder as described in claim 1 , wherein said information handling system is a personal computer and said data recorder is configured to reside on a motherboard of said personal computer.
13. The data recorder as described in claim 1 , further comprising: a case configured to enclose said data recorder; and a data drive configured to receive removable media via an opening in said case.
14. A data recorder, comprising: a memory device connected to at least one device for storing performance data obtained from the device; wherein the memory device is accessible after failure of the device; wherein the memory device stores utilities for initiating diagnostic programs to control restoration of an operating system; wherein the utilities control replacement of the operating system from copies of the original data structures stored elsewhere on the system; wherein the memory device restores the operating system from data stored in the memory device.
15. The data recorder as described in claim 14 , wherein the memory device restores at least one of corrupted data structures and invalid changes from performance data.
16. A method for preventing loss of device performance data for a device configured as part of an information handling system, the method comprising: obtaining performance data from the device; storing the performance data on a data recorder configured as part of the information handling system; and initiating diagnostic programs to control restoration of an operating system, the diagnostic programs stored by the data recorder; wherein the data recorder is accessible after failure of the device.
17. The method as described in claim 16 , wherein the performance data includes at least one of error codes, diagnostic data, data structure, and device specific information associated with said information handling system.
18. The method as described in claim 16 , further comprising updating the data recorder periodically by the device.
19. The method as described in claim 18 , wherein the data recorder is updated by the device without affecting throughput and operation of the device.
20. The method as described in claim 16 , wherein the diagnostic programs include at least one of a backup and restoration program.
21. The method as described in claim 16 , wherein the diagnostic programs control replacement of the operating system from copies of original data structures stored elsewhere on a system.
22. The method as described in claim 16 , wherein the data recorded restores the operating system from data stored in the memory device.
23. The method as described in claim 16 , wherein the data recorder provides the ability to restore at least one of corrupted data structures and invalid changes from performance data.
24. A method for preventing loss of device performance data, comprising: obtaining performance data from a device; storing the performance data on a data recorder; determining if a host command has been received by the device; testing whether the device is idle; and storing performance data of the device in the data recorder independent of the device if the device is idle; wherein the data recorder is accessible after failure of the device.
25. A program of instructions stored on a medium readable by an information handling system for causing the information handling system to execute steps for preventing loss of performance data for a device configured as part of said information handling system, the steps comprising: determining if a host command has been received by a device; testing whether the device is idle; obtaining performance data from a device; and storing the performance data of the device on a data recorder independent of the device if the device is idle; wherein the data recorder is accessible after failure of the device.
26. The program of instructions as described in claim 25 , wherein the performance data includes at least one of error codes, diagnostic data, data structure, and device specific information.
27. An information handling system, comprising: a processor for executing a program of instructions on the information handling system; a memory coupled to the processor for storing the program of instructions executable by said processor; a device coupled to the processor; and a data recorder coupled to the device; wherein the program of instructions configures the information handling system to obtain performance data from the device; and store the performance data on the data recorder; wherein the data recorder storing the performance data is accessible after failure of the device; and wherein the information handling system determines if a host command has been received by a device; tests whether the device is idle; stores performance data of the device in a data recorder independent of the device if the device is idle.
28. The information handling system as described in claim 27 , wherein the performance data includes at least one of error codes, diagnostic data, data structure, and device specific information.
29. The information handling system as described in claim 27 , wherein the memory device is disposed proximally to at least one of a device and an information handling system.
30. The information handling system as described in claim 27 , wherein the memory device comprises a solid state memory device.
31. The information handling system as described in claim 30 , wherein the memory device comprises at least one of electrically erasable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash ram, programmable read-only memory (PROM), digital signal processor (DSP) with memory and erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM).
32. The information handling system as described in claim 27 , wherein the memory device is updated periodically by the device.
33. The information handling system as described in claim 32 , wherein the memory device is updated by the device without affecting throughput and operation of the device.
34. The information handling system as described in claim 27 , wherein said information handling system is a personal computer and said data recorder is configured to reside on a motherboard of said personal computer.
35. The information handling system as described in claim 27 , further comprising: a case configured to enclose said data recorder; and a data drive configured to receive removable media via an opening in said case.
36. An information handling system comprising: a processor for executing a program of instructions on the information handling system; a memory coupled to the processor for storing the program of instructions executable by said processor; a device coupled to the processor; and a data recorder coupled to the device; wherein the program of instructions configures the information handling system to obtain performance data from the device; and store the performance data on the data recorder; wherein the data recorder storing the performance data is accessible after failure of the device; and wherein the memory device stores utilities for initiating diagnostic programs to control restoration of an operating system.
37. The information handling system as described in claim 36 , wherein the diagnostic programs include at least one of a backup and restoration program.
38. The information handling system as described in claim 37 , wherein the utilities control replacement of the operating system from copies of the original data structures stored elsewhere on the system.
39. The information handling system as described in claim 38 , wherein the memory device restores the operating system from data stored in the memory device.
40. The information handling system as described in claim 39 , wherein the memory device restores at least one of corrupted data structures and invalid changes from performance data.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 23, 1999
December 16, 2003
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